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Gavin Hamilton

Hamilton Photo © Paul McGregor 1998

Gavin Mark Hamilton rose to international fame in the 1999 World Cup. Scotland were considered rank minnows, but one man stood tall among the Scots. Gavin Hamilton demonstrated in every match Scotland played that he is a force to reckon with. Hamilton plays county cricket for Yorkshire and it seems almost certain that he will play for England in the near future.

When the chips are down and a solid batting performance is required, Hamilton is a good man to turn to. Hamilton plays his strokes with the full face of the bat and has the gift of elegance that only left handers seem to possess. Equally comfortable against spinners and the quicker bowlers, Hamilton is never afraid to go after the bowling if the situation warrants it. Hamilton uses his feet well while playing the spinners and has shown a remarkable ability to loft the ball over the infield. It would be hard to forget the 2 sixes he belted off a single Saqlain over against Pakistan, or the swept six of Rahman against Bangladesh in the 1999 World Cup!

As if it wasn't enough that Hamilton is a class bat, he is a more than useful bowler. When opening the bowling for either his county side Yorkshire or for Scotland, Hamilton has shown that he is capable of bowling sharp spells and picking up quick wickets. Consistently, Hamilton has provided the early breakthroughs that his team has needed.

Hamilton is definitely a player to watch out for in the future. The England selectors will be keeping a sharp eye on him. The opposition players would do well themselves, to watch out for Gavin Hamilton.